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Aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those trapped in humdrum
corporate jobs, often imagine that building their own company
would mean round-the-clock passion for their job. But that isn't
so, says Heidi Grant Halvorson, a psychologist and author of
Focus: Use Different Ways of Seeing the World for Success and
Influence (Hudson Street Press, 2013). "The reality is that
you aren't going to enjoy every single aspect of what you do,"
she says.

So how can you learn to love what you do even in the midst of the
daily grind? One strategy is to set artificial challenges for
yourself. Timing yourself is a common one, or you could break the
boring task into its component parts and reward yourself when you
complete each one. The reward could be a funny YouTube video,
exercise, a snack or something else, depending on your
inclination. "Challenge yourself to work more efficiently, or
more quickly," Halvorson says. "Make a game out of it." More: How to
Find Joy in the Daily Grind

Envision a solid three-year picture for your
business.
In the early stages of a business, it is easy to keep your eye on
the ball, but as the business grows, distractions pop up and
complexities develop that put you at risk of losing focus, says
Gino Wickman, founder of the leadership consulting firm EOS
Worldwide and author of Traction: Get a Grip on Your
Business (BenBella Books, 2011). For this reason, it's
important to create a three-year picture that will help you meet
your 10-year goals. Write down what you want the company to look
like in three years, or create a vision board to represent it.
"When your mind's eye can see something, it's more likely to
happen," Wickman says. "It's a simplified approach to strategic
planning and will help an entrepreneur get ideas out of their
head and onto paper." More: 8
Questions to Refocus Your Vision and Achieve Success

Do a trial period with a prospective
co-founder.
Compatibility is of paramount importance when looking for a
co-founder, says John Frankel, founding partner of New York
City-based seed investment firm ff Venture Capital. Imagine
marrying someone before dating and you will have a picture of how
foolish it is to give up part of your company before doing a
trial period with a prospective partner. "Some companies last
longer than marriages, so you do not want to be joined at the hip
with someone you can't get along with or [who] won't pull her own
weight," Frankel says. "Before signing away equity, see how well
you both work together on projects and day-to-day tasks."
More:
How to Find the Perfect Co-Founder

Emulate the connectors.
When Aj Agrawal, the co-founder of Greekpull, a platform that
helps fraternities and sororities fund their projects, moved his
company to Indiana from California earlier this year, he needed
to rebuild his network in a new part of the country. Fortunately,
he met venture capitalist Elizabeth Rounsavall, "one of the most
well connected people in the Midwest," he says. By watching how
she always found ways to grow her network, Agrawal learned how to
approach the process of making contacts. "Go to every networking
event you can, chat with as many people as possible and never get
lazy about following up," he says. "It's the entrepreneurs that
go to events and are open to new things who find success."
More: How to
Find a Personal Trainer for Your Business

Try turning your salary into a bonus.
Determining your own salary as a founder and chief executive can
be difficult. There are a number of ways to go about it, but some
business owners simply pay themselves as if their entire salary
were a bonus check. "I pay all of the business-related expenses
each month, set aside funds for taxes, and then the rest is
salary," says Debbie Dragon, co-owner of Valley View, Pa.-based
Trifecta Online. "It's different every month because the earnings
are different every month." More: 3 Ways to
Determine Your Own Salary